THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM
3.4 ISSUES RELATED TO PARTICULAR AREAS IN THE CURRICULUM
I n developing a program o f f e r i n g t h e kinds o f
choices and v a r i e t y i n d i c a t e d above, the r e s p o n s i b i l i t y
of those i n v o l v e d i n student guidance should be t o l o o k , not to t h e subjects chosen by groups o f s t u d e n t s , b u t t o
the coverage o f t h e areas of general e d u c a t i o n , and the r i g o u r of t h e program, f o l l o w e d by each student.
In other words, i t i s not the number o f s u b j e c t s , but the range o f a c t i v i t i e s t h a t they encompass, t h a t should be of concern t o those a d v i s i n g about i n d i v i d u a l students' programs.
3.4 ISSUES RELATED TO PARTICULAR AREAS IN THE
o p i n i o n as t o what standard should be achieved by each age or a b i l i t y group. There i s u n c e r t a i n t y about whether such standards are those o f basic f u n c t i o n a l l i t e r a c y , l e v e l s o f l i t e r a c y needed t o enable f u r t h e r study a t the post-secondary stage, or those a l l o w i n g an i n d i v i d u a l t o undertake j o b r e t r a i n i n g . There i s also u n c e r t a i n t y about the terms i n which standards should be expressed.
I n seeking a s u i t a b l e d e l i n e a t i o n of the problem, the A.C.E.R. i n a recent survey o f the l i t e r a c y of 14 year olds was guided by the d e f i n i t i o n adopted by the U.N. General Assembly i n 1963:
A person i s l i t e r a t e when he has acquired the e s s e n t i a l knowledge and s k i l l s which enable him to engage i n a l l those a c t i v i t i e s i n which
l i t e r a c y i s r e q u i r e d f o r e f f i c i e n t f u n c t i o n i n g i n h i s group or community, and whose a t t a i n m e n t s i n r e a d i n g , w r i t i n g and a r i t h m e t i c make i t
p o s s i b l e f o r him t o c o n t i n u e t o use these s k i l l s towards h i s own and the community's development and f o r a c t i v e p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n the l i f e of h i s c o u n t r y . (22)
The r e p o r t o f the Schools Commission f o r the 1976- 78 t r i e n n i u m s t r e s s e d the n e c e s s i t y f o r students t o a t t a i n basic competencies t h a t a l l o w them t o achieve power over the circumstances o f t h e i r own l i v e s . (23)
I t also noted t h a t students who do not handle language e f f e c t i v e l y a t t h e end o f the primary years are going to be disadvantaged throughout t h e i r secondary school- ing. F a i l u r e t o g a i n a l e v e l o f success i n s c h o o l i n g which gives j o b choice and the p o s s i b i l i t y o f j o b t r a i n i n g and r e t r a i n i n g imposes severe l i m i t a t i o n s on the i n d i v i d u a l ' s a b i l i t y t o f u n c t i o n e f f e c t i v e l y i n a s o c i e t y where c r e d e n t i a l s p l a y so i m p o r t a n t a p a r t .
The i m p l i c a t i o n s r e g a r d i n g l i t e r a c y r a i s e d i n the U.N. statement and the Schools Commission Report
i n d i c a t e the u n d e r l y i n g concerns o f the c u r r e n t debate on l i t e r a c y . One submission r e c e i v e d by the Committee p i n - p o i n t e d the s p e c i f i c concerns f o r secondary educ- a t i o n when i t s t a t e d t h a t :
The recent A.C.E.R. i n q u i r y i n t o t h e l i t e r a c y of 14 year olds has h i g h l i g h t e d two aspects o f the problem. I t i s c e r t a i n t h a t many o f our adolescents are not a t t a i n i n g the standard o f l i t e r a c y o f which they are capable .... or r e q u i r e d f o r them t o b e n e f i t f u l l y from many secondary school courses. (24)
There have been allegations that the number of students not attaining the levels of literacy of which they are capable is increasing. It should be noted that such allegations cannot be statistically
substantiated because of a lack of previous evidence with which to compare current findings. This does
not mean to say, however, that educators can afford
to be complacent. The A.C.E.R. study has made it quite obvious that a problem exists. Now that the implications of language for the total learning process are being fully realized it is essential that educators seek the means of remedying the situation.
In this respect the Committee has paid particular
a t t e n t i o n t o the memorandum t o a l l Tasmanian schools which the D i r e c t o r - G e n e r a l o f Education c i r c u l a t e d i n May 1976 and which provided p o l i c y g u i d e l i n e s f o r schools. (25) The Committee endorses t h i s
memorandum and repeats the f o l l o w i n g p o l i c y g u i d e l i n e s : (a) There i s a need f o r a s i z e a b l e number of
p u p i l s other than those l a b e l l e d ' r e m e d i a l ' to have a continuous program designed t o develop l i t e r a c y and numeracy s k i l l s . This program should be r e l a t e d t o and
supported by a l l s u b j e c t areas. The program should be the r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f a l l s t a f f , not j u s t teachers of E n g l i s h and Mathematics.
(b) A l l teachers need t o consider v e r y c a r e f u l l y to what e x t e n t t h e i r own programs b u i l d on what has been l e a r n e d , l e a d i n g t o understand-
ing as w e l l as the a c q u i s i t i o n o f basic f a c t s . Some c h i l d r e n move from one primary l e v e l t o the next and then i n t o secondary school unable t o read and c a l c u l a t e e f f e c t i v - e l y . This must be recognized and acted upon.
As w e l l as p r o v i d i n g a s e q u e n t i a l program o f l e a r n i n g a p p r o p r i a t e t o the general l e v e l of a b i l i t y i n a c l a s s , every teacher must ensure t h a t as many c h i l d r e n as p o s s i b l e achieve a basic l e v e l of competence i n l i t e r a c y and numeracy s k i l l s and comprehension.
(c) The o r g a n i z a t i o n of the school needs t o a l l o w f o r more i n d i v i d u a l c o u n s e l l i n g by teachers r a t h e r than r e l i a n c e on t e s t i n g t o a group norm. Students should be provided w i t h constant feedback on progress and w i t h
m o t i v a t i o n f o r f u r t h e r e f f o r t . The teacher should recognize t h a t a l l c h i l d r e n do not reach the same stage of competence i n the same time. They must be prepared t o accept a c h i l d a t h i s i n d i v i d u a l stage and work w i t h him from t h a t p o i n t .
Cd) The use o f assignment cards, e x e r c i s e s , and k i t s o f l e a r n i n g m a t e r i a l needs t o be examined c r i t i c a l l y . Steps should be taken t o ensure t h a t students produce a reasonable amount of continuous w r i t i n g and speaking and are n o t confined t o one- word or one-sentence 'completion-type' answers. (26)
The memorandum also r e f e r r e d t o t h e development by the Education Department o f a s e r v i c e s p o l i c y i n t h e area of l i t e r a c y and numeracy. This i n i t i a t i v e ,
i n c l u d i n g an expanded i n - s e r v i c e education program, t h e p r o v i s i o n o f reading m a t e r i a l s and the m o n i t o r i n g o f standards of l i t e r a c y and numeracy, i s taken up l a t e r i n t h i s r e p o r t . (27)
The Committee i s concerned t h a t t h e q u e s t i o n o f l i t e r a c y should be seen w i t h i n the framework of an o v e r a l l language-program i n t h e secondary school.
Consequently, t h e Committee i s n o t content simply t o provide t h e p o l i c y g u i d e l i n e s s t a t e d above but wishes also t o draw a t t e n t i o n t o t h e basic p r i n c i p l e s and concerns upon which a sound language program should be based.
As a means o f understanding the language w i t h which c h i l d r e n come i n t o contact and are expected t o cope, the model proposed by B r i t t o n has been w i d e l y accepted. (28) T h i s p o s t u l a t e s t h r e e kinds of language.
F i r s t t h e r e i s transactional language which i s the language used t o get t h i n g s done, t o i n f o r m , advise, persuade or i n s t r u c t people. This i s t h e formal and impersonal language which teachers tend t o expect i n many school e x e r c i s e s .
Secondly, there i s expressive language which i s language close t o t h e s e l f . I t r e v e a l s t h e speaker, allows him t o v e r b a l i z e h i s consciousness and d i s p l a y his close r e l a t i o n w i t h a l i s t e n e r or reader. Express- ive language i s o f t e n n o t e x p l i c i t because t h e speaker or w r i t e r r e l i e s upon t h e l i s t e n e r or reader t o i n t e r - pret what i s said i n t h e l i g h t o f a common understanding.
As a consequence, t h e meaning of the expressive u t t e r a n c e may vary according t o the s i t u a t i o n . F u r t h e r , since
expressive language submits i t s e l f t o t h e f r e e f l o w of ideas and f e e l i n g s , i t i s r e l a t i v e l y u n s t r u c t u r e d .
T h i r d l y , t h e r e i s poetic language i n n/hich t h e words themselves, and a l l they r e f e r t o , are s e l e c t e d to make an a r t i s t i c arrangement or formal p a t t e r n . The f u n c t i o n o f a piece of p o e t i c w r i t i n g i s t o be an o b j e c t t h a t pleases and s a t i s f i e s the w r i t e r and the reader's response i s t o share t h a t emotional s a t i s f a c t i o n . I n t h i s sense i t c o n s t i t u t e s language t h a t e x i s t s f o r i t s own sake and not as a means o f achieving something e l s e .
The expressive type of language i s t h e personal and s o c i a l language of students. I t i s t h a t language w i t h which they f e e l most comfortable. At some t i m e , most probably i n the secondary school, students w i l l make t h e d i s c o n c e r t i n g d i s c o v e r y t h a t t h e i r own language
i s not e n t i r e l y acceptable t o teachers.
Many expressive and personal f u n c t i o n s o f language are now - or appear t o be - viewed l e s s f a v o u r a b l y than e x p l a n a t i o n , n a r r a t i o n and r e p o r t a g e , a l l
demanding a degree o f e x p l i c i t n e s s and coherence a l i e n t o the normal speech h a b i t s o f the ...
c h i l d . (29)
Many s t u d e n t s , f o r example, come i n t o t h e secondary school ready t o explore and share t h e i r experience i n an anecdotal and personal manner. They o f t e n cease to do so q u i t e q u i c k l y as they perceive t h a t teachers consider anecdotes t o be i r r e l e v a n t . The r e s u l t i s c l e a r l y described by t h e authors o f Language, the
Learner and the School. What e m e r g e s i s a -
c o n f r o n t a t i o n between t h e i r comfortably acquired mother-tongue and t h e v a r i e t i e s o f language which
have grown up around i n s t i t u t i o n a l i z e d areas o f l e a r n i n g . I n many o f these areas s p e c i a l demands are made on t h e i r t h i n k i n g - they are expected t o reason, speculate, p l a n , consider t h e o r i e s , make t h e i r own g e n e r a l i s a t i o n s and hypotheses. These are i n many respects language a c t i v i t i e s , t h a t i s , language i s the means by which they are c a r r i e d o u t , the means t h e r e f o r e , by which c h i l d r e n do much o f t h e i r l e a r n i n g . The e f f o r t to f o r m u l a t e i n t h e p u p i l ' s own words t h e appear- ance o f something, or t o draw conclusions from an experiment, or t o express the s i g n i f i c a n c e o f an h i s t o r i c a l document i s an e s s e n t i a l p a r t of t h e l e a r n i n g process, f o r he w i l l be using language to give meaning t o h i s experience .. (The student's) h e a l t h i e s t need i s t o make sense i n h i s own terms of what he i s l e a r n i n g . I t w i l l take many years of development before h i s s i t u a t i o n begins t o approach t h a t o f the s c i e n t i s t , h i s t o r i a n , t e c h n o l o g i s t , e t c . (30)
I£ c h i l d r e n are t o develop competence i n o b j e c t i v e , impersonal, t r a n s a c t i o n a l p a t t e r n s o f language, t h i s development must grow out o f the c o n f i d e n t use o f p e r s o n a l , expressive language and a conscious e v a l u a t i o n o f the new form o f language presented t o students i n textbooks and by the teacher.
C h i l d r e n cannot be expected t o understand t h i s k i n d of language and use i t competently on e n t r y t o school.
Rather, i t should be a gradual l e a r n i n g - p r o c e s s .
E a r l y excursions i n t o the o b j e c t i v e , impersonal form o f language i n t h e secondary years w i l l and should i n c l u d e the student's s u b j e c t i v e responses t o t h e experiences presented t o them, and these should be understood and t o l e r a t e d . I n order t o f a c i l i t a t e the move towards g e n e r a l i z a t i o n and conceptual t h i n k i n g , the approaches adopted i n t h e classroom must permit t h e personal proc- ess of r e l a t i n g t h e new knowledge t o t h e i n d i v i d u a l
student's e x i s t i n g s t o r e o f knowledge and items. Hence the need f o r students t o t a l k i n groups and f o r open- ended methods o f w r i t i n g - u p i n f o r m a t i o n .
Teachers must be c o n t i n u a l l y aware o f the necess- i t y o f o r g a n i z i n g classroom procedures which enable students t o move through a p e r s o n a l , expressive use of language towards g r e a t e r competency i n o b j e c t i v e , t r a n s a c t i o n a l language. This i s a h i g h l y i n d i v i d u a l process i n which i t i s i n a p p r o p r i a t e t o expect
students t o i n t e r n a l i z e language s t y l e s , imposed by the teacher, u n t i l each becomes ready f o r them a t h i s own time. The t r a n s i t i o n from expressive t o t r a n s -
a c t i o n a l language use i s a developmental process, and for some time and i n v a r y i n g amounts, t h e two modes w i l l be i n t e r m i n g l e d .
In summary teachers must be aware o f the language of c h i l d r e n and must r e a l i z e i t s i m p l i c a t i o n s f o r l e a r n i n g and thus f o r classroom p r a c t i c e . One aspect of t h i s awareness i s an understanding o f t h e importance of language - r e a d i n g , w r i t i n g , l i s t e n i n g and t a l k i n g .
T a l k i n g and l i s t e n i n g precede reading and w r i t i n g . The o f t e n t e n t a t i v e and incomplete q u a l i t y of much
of student t a l k has caused many teachers t o consider student t a l k as u n p r o d u c t i v e . Teachers have t h e r e f o r e l i m i t e d the o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r o r a l a c t i v i t i e s . However, t a l k i n g e s t a b l i s h e s a s o c i a l u n i t , and a t t h e same time o r a l a c t i v i t i e s are v a l u a b l e f o r developing confidence experimenting w i t h new language, shaping ideas, and
expressing doubt, d i f f i c u l t y and c o n f u s i o n . Therefore, student t a l k w i l l be t e n t a t i v e and w i l l r e v e a l incom- Pe t e understanding as they t r y t o make sense of new knowledge and experience.
L i s t e n i n g i s basic t o the a c q u i s i t i o n and devel- opment of language. I t i s a l s o fundamental t o l e a r n i n g . Yet research shows t h a t people l i s t e n very badly.
Thus the c l a i m i s made by N i c h o l s and Stevens t h a t the average l i s t e n e r i s o n l y 25 per cent e f f i c i e n t . (31)
I n the same way t h a t c h i l d r e n are disadvantaged readers who come from homes l a c k i n g books, or have parents who do not spend time reading w i t h them, so i t would appear t h a t c h i l d r e n are disadvantaged
l i s t e n e r s where t h e r e i s a l a c k of s u i t a b l e l i s t e n i n g s i t u a t i o n s e i t h e r i n the home or i n the school. (32) Andersch, Staats and Bostrom present t h i s s i t u a t i o n
l u c i d l y :
I n a f a m i l y s i t u a t i o n , both the c h i l d r e n and the parents must be good l i s t e n e r s i f they are t o get along s a t i s f a c t o r i l y s o l v i n g the mutual complex problems of f a m i l y l i f e . Too o f t e n parents end up t a l k i n g t o themselves; the
c h i l d r e n don't l i s t e n because the message being sent i s not what they want t o hear. Parents sometimes encourage c h i l d r e n to t a l k , but because of preoccupation w i t h more p r e s s i n g matters pay l i t t l e a t t e n t i o n to the comments of the c h i l d r e n . (33)
To overcome l i s t e n i n g disadvantage and t o improve the ' q u a l i t y of l i s t e n i n g1 teachers should be aware of the ways by which recent research i n d i c a t e s t h a t ' improvement may be obtained. (34)
The teacher who l i s t e n s t o h i s students not o n l y gains v a l u a b l e i n s i g h t i n t o the student's thought p a t t e r n s , and thus the e f f e c t i v e n e s s of the l e a r n i n g which the teacher hopes has taken p l a c e , but a l s o :
those who p r a c t i c e l i s t e n i n g found i t t o be one of the most powerful and i n f l u e n t i a l f a c t o r s i n human r e l a t i o n s . I t i s a magnetic and c r e a t i v e f o r c e . I n f a c t , those who l i s t e n t o us are the very ones towards whom we move.
L i s t e n i n g to us c r e a t e s us, u n f o l d s and expands us. Ideas begin to grow and come t o l i f e w i t h i n us. The same t h i n g happens when we l i s t e n t o o t h e r s ... (34)
Since books represent the c h i e f means by which students l e a r n the v a r i e d a d u l t p a t t e r n s of language and when they should be used, reading and language development are i n e x t r i c a b l y l i n k e d . Thus, a wide v a r i e t y of reading m a t e r i a l needs t o be r e a d i l y a v a i l - a b l e , textbooks being but one source. Teachers must
be aware o f t h e d i f f i c u l t y of many textbooks which seem to be addressed more t o t h e teacher than t h e student. Many students cannot cope w i t h the kinds of l i n g u i s t i c d i f f i c u l t y c o n f r o n t i n g them i n t h e language of t e x t b o o k s . F u r t h e r , teachers must be aware t h a t :
Every i n t e l l e c t u a l d i s c i p l i n e has a s e t o f symbols whereby i t encodes concepts p e c u l i a r to i t s e l f ; o r d i n a r y discourse i s inadequate to decode i t . This gives a more u r g e n t ,
a l b e i t somewhat d i f f e r e n t meaning t o t h e slogan t h a t every school department teaches reading and w r i t i n g . I t means t h a t the symbolic s k i l l s p e c u l i a r t o a l o g i c a l l y organised s u b j e c t are not being taught by the E n g l i s h department as p a r t o f a general r h e t o r i c and must be taught as p a r t o f t h e d i s c i p l i n e . (36)
Students coming i n t o secondary schools may w e l l have been taught basic reading s k i l l s by c o n t a c t w i t h n a r r a t i v e and d e s c r i p t i v e m a t e r i a l s . I t does not f o l l o w t h a t students w i t h a h i g h degree o f s k i l l
i n reading m a t e r i a l o f t h i s k i n d w i l l n e c e s s a r i l y have t h e same degree of f a c i l i t y i n reading w r i t i n g of a t r a n s a c t i o n a l k i n d , i . e . the language of t e x t - books. Schools have tended t o o v e r l o o k the n e c e s s i t y of h e l p i n g students t o l e a r n to read textbooks. This type of" reading i n secondary schools should.be t r e a t e d as a branch o f t h e l o g i c of the s u b j e c t matter being taught. Thus a l l teachers i n a l l s u b j e c t s need t o be i n v o l v e d i n t h i s aspect o f t h e school's language-
development program. I n - s e r v i c e education i s t h e r e f o r e r e q u i r e d to ensure t h a t a l l teachers know how t o
teach r e a d i n g .
W r i t i n g needs t o be p u r p o s e f u l and i n t h e e a r l y secondary stages should a l l o w f o r t h e expression o f the w r i t e r ' s own ideas and h i s way o f seeing t h i n g s . W r i t t e n work asks f o r t h e teacher's a t t e n t i o n and
i n t e r e s t more than f o r h i s marks, b u t a l l too e a s i l y the w r i t e r f e e l s t h a t t h e message i t s e l f and h i s e f f o r t t o communicate i t are of l e s s importance than the accuracy o f the w r i t i n g . Teachers should be aware of t h e v a r i e t y o f purposes f o r which w r i t i n g may be used, and p u p i l s should be c l e a r about t h e audiences f o r whom they are w r i t i n g . Care and.
accuracy i n p r e s e n t a t i o n r e s u l t from good a t t i t u d e s towards w r i t i n g r a t h e r than from i n f o r m a t i o n about the t e c h n i c a l i t i e s of w r i t i n g . Favourable a t t i t u d e s are l i k e l y t o be f o s t e r e d by an awareness o f a r e a l audience and teachers working w i t h i n d i v i d u a l p u p i l s
The r e s p o n s i b i l i t y of a l l teachers f o r developing the language s k i l l s o f t h e i r students has a l r e a d y been mentioned-but needs f u r t h e r emphasis. The r e a l i z a t i o n t h a t language i s the basis o f l e a r n i n g i s t h e key t o t h i s r e s p o n s i b i l i t y . U n t i l r e c e n t l y i t was considered t h a t language s k i l l s .should be acquired i n " E n g l i s h "
and these s k i l l s u t i l i z e d by teachers i n a l l o t h e r
s u b j e c t s . However, recent evidence shows t h a t language s k i l l s are best'developed when the student i s engrossed i n s i t u a t i o n s i n a l l s u b j e c t s which c a l l f o r t h a v a r i e t y of language uses r a t h e r than when 'the s k i l l s ' are
taught i n i s o l a t i o n . F u r t h e r , teachers a t t h e secondary school l e v e l cannot assume any longer t h a t t h e t o t a l r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r attainment o f s u f f i c i e n t l e v e l s o f l i t e r a c y r e s t s s o l e l y w i t h primary school teachers. The a c q u i s i t i o n o f language s k i l l s i s an on-going process and teachers i n secondary schools must be adequately equipped i n theory and p r a c t i c e t o a i d i n t h i s process.
Foreign languages
The Committee considered a comprehensive a n d - f u l l y - documented r e p o r t on "Foreign Language Teaching i n
Tasmanian Government Schools". (37) While i t was impressed w i t h the amount o f m a t e r i a l c o l l e c t e d , and w i t h the l o g i c a l way i n which i t was presented, i t d i d not accept the fundamental argument t h a t f o r e i g n lang- uage study i s good f o r a l l students throughout f o u r years o f secondary s c h o o l i n g . I t s reason f o r t h i s i s t h a t i t does not f e e l t h a t t h e schools can change community a t t i t u d e s and l a c k o f student m o t i v a t i o n by compulsion, and i t does n o t b e l i e v e t h a t compulsory school-language study i s e s s e n t i a l f o r developing the k i n d of i n t e r n a t i o n a l understanding on which the Foreign Language Report leans so h e a v i l y f o r j u s t i f i c a t i o n . (38) This Committee b e l i e v e s t h a t such understanding i s j u s t as e a s i l y and e f f e c t i v e l y achieved by modern media resources and experiences, although i t recognizes t h a t language l e a r n i n g w i l l supplement other sources o f experience f o r some s t u d e n t s .
The view o f - t h e Committee i s t h a t foreign-language study should be an i n t e g r a l p a r t o f t h e c u r r i c u l u m , b u t t h a t i t should not be compulsory f o r a l l students
f o r a i l years. (39) I t b e l i e v e s t h a t a l l students should have some experience of language: study, o f a t l e a s t one term's d u r a t i o n , and t h a t t h e r e a f t e r , some students may d i s c o n t i n u e t h i s study, o t h e r s continue i t , and others r e i n f o r c e i t by t a k i n g up a second or t h i r d f o r e i g n language, i f necessary by t r a n s f e r r i n g
to another school. I t a l s o b e l i e v e s t h a t t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o r e t u r n t o f o r e i g n language study should be provided a t a l l stages of t h e secondary program.
The Committee considers t h a t t h e language
c u r r i c u l u m should be reviewed t o give due prominence t o the primary aim o f i n t e r - c u l t u r a l understanding;
t o p r o v i d e a range o f a c t i v i t i e s s u i t a b l y d i v e r s i f i e d i n terms o f c o n t e n t , l e a r n i n g a c t i v i t i e s and expected outcomes t o s u i t the whole range of a b i l i t i e s ; and t o r e f l e c t t h e f i n d i n g s o f contemporary s c h o l a r s h i p about the nature o f language and the p s y c h o l o g i c a l bases o f f o r e i g n language l e a r n i n g . I n s p e c i f y i n g achievement, however, i t would n o t agree t h a t t h i s should be d e f i n e d i n terms o f the time spent i n f o r e i g n language study.
(40)
While r e c o g n i z i n g the need f o r teaching methods to be a d j u s t e d t o t h e a b i l i t i e s o f s t u d e n t s , the
Committee would not support a p r e s c r i p t i o n of homogen- eous groups f o r language l e a r n i n g , nor would i t make p r e s c r i p t i o n s about c l a s s s i z e s . (41) I t does, however, recognize the need f o r language classes t o be spread through the week and deplores t h e p r o v i s i o n of double and t r i p l e periods as t i m e t a b l e expediencies. (42)
I n the matter o f resources, as a general p r i n c i p l e the Committee i s opposed t o the development o f
resources f o r the e x c l u s i v e use o f one s u b j e c t f i e l d . While rooms may be set up f o r language t e a c h i n g , i t
i s not considered t h a t these rooms and t h e i r equipment should be used e x c l u s i v e l y f o r language teaching even when they are used f o r t h i s purpose f o r the m a j o r i t y of the time. (43) The Committee takes the view t h a t a l l m a t e r i a l s should be i n t h e f i r s t instance be a p a r t o f the school's resource m a t e r i a l s c e n t r e .
The need f o r e v a l u a t i o n t o be c l o s e l y t i e d t o t h e teaching goals and methods i s accepted, and the
Committee would wish to see c u r r i c u l u m committees and the Supervisor of Foreign Languages doing a l l i n t h e i r power t o b r i n g t h i s about.
The choice of a f i r s t f o r e i g n language should be based on community needs and d e s i r e s as f a r as t h i s can be matched w i t h p r a c t i c a l and i n s t r u m e n t a l motiv- a t i o n f o r s t u d e n t s , the use of the Roman alphabet i n the w r i t t e n form o f the language, and the a v a i l a b i l i t y of resources and t r a i n e d s t a f f . The Committee r e a l i s e s t h a t t h i s w i l l lead t o the p r o v i s i o n of French f o r some time, but looks t o the r a p i d development of German, I t a l i a n and, p a r t i c u l a r l y , Indonesian.
Teacher education should p r o v i d e f o r the develop- ment o f advanced o r a l f l u e n c y i n undergraduate courses, as w e l l as f o r courses i n s o c i o - 1 i n g u i s t i c s and psycho- l i n g u i s t i c s . However, teacher t r a i n i n g should not
produce s p e c i a l i s t s so c o n c e n t r a t i n g on language t h a t they cannot share other teaching i n the school;
nor can the q u a l i f i c a t i o n s f o r language teaching be made s i g n i f i c a n t l y more demanding than those f o r other teachers. (44)
Numeracy
During 1976 the Research Branch of the Education Department conducted a survey of numeracy among 14 year olds i n government schools. I t concluded t h a t :
I t i s apparent t h a t the l a c k of number s k i l l s . . . i s more widespread and more severe than has been assumed by many people. I t i s probable t h a t many of the c u r r e n t remedial programs may not be s u f f i c i e n t l y e f f e c t i v e . (45)
This c o n c l u s i o n has been reached i n a more i n t u i t i v e way i n a number of q u a r t e r s . Teachers themselves have an unease, employers are convinced t h a t t h e r e i s a lack of basic numeracy i n school l e a v e r s , and the community a t l a r g e i s apprehensive. A l l i e d to a l l
t h i s i s evidence of a s o c i a l o p t i n g - o u t : many people, w h i l e i n s i s t i n g on the value of mathematics f o r a l l , consider i t s o c i a l l y acceptable t o be a mathematical dunce, c o n t i n u a l l y confess t o t o t a l inadequacy i n the f i e l d and t r e a t the mathematically able w i t h s u s p i c i o n . This could w e l l be a defence mechanism to cover a
d e e p l y - f e l t inadequacy but i t has d e f i n i t e c a r r y - o v e r i n t o a t t i t u d e s t h a t students b r i n g to school. I t sets up a c o n f l i c t i n the minds o f the students between
the expressed need to become accomplished m a t h e m a t i c a l l y and the knowledge t h a t i t i s ' a l l r i g h t ' not t o be.
The concern i s e s s e n t i a l l y t h a t many students cannot c a l c u l a t e a c c u r a t e l y . I t i s d i f f i c u l t t o e s t a b l i s h the exact cause but i t i s apparent t h a t by the time students enter secondary school the problem i s i n existence and so i t would seem t h a t the i n i t i a l a t t a c k must come e a r l i e r . There i s an awareness of t h i s f a c t i n primary schools and many i n i t i a t i v e s are being taken. There i s also i n c r e a s i n g r e c o g n i t i o n of the need f o r a more adequate p r e p a r a t i o n of a l l primary teachers i n mathematics. However, the Committee
s t r o n g l y f e e l s t h a t these i n i t i a t i v e s should not preclude f u r t h e r a c t i o n being taken i n secondary schools.
Perhaps t h e f i r s t need i s f o r teachers t o
recognize t h a t many students enter secondary education w i t h a record of f a i l u r e , a d i s l i k e o f t h e s u b j e c t and
a f e a r of f u r t h e r f a i l u r e . I f f e a r and d i s l i k e could be reduced or e l i m i n a t e d from mathematics classes t h e l e a r n i n g would almost i n e v i t a b l y improve. Teachers need t o accept t h a t students r e q u i r e a p e r i o d of time
to put t h i s f a i l u r e behind them, whereas g i v i n g them
"more o f t h e same" has a tendency t o r e i n f o r c e f a i l u r e . Many teachers o f Year 7 s t a r t o f f by g i v i n g a s e r i e s
of t e s t s i n the f o u r basic o p e r a t i o n s . T h e i r aim i s w e l l - i n t e n t i o n e d - t o discover the i n d i v i d u a l weaknesses of each student i n these operations w i t h a view t o
c a r r y i n g o u t r e m e d i a t i o n . - but t h e Committee considers i t p r e f e r a b l e t o s t a r t t h e year w i t h a u n i t o f work t h a t can be e x c i t i n g , i n t e r e s t i n g and i n v o l v e p r a c t i c a l
a c t i v i t i e s both i n s i d e and o u t s i d e t h e classroom.
Such an approach does not r e l y h e a v i l y on any previous f a c t u a l knowledge and makes i t p o s s i b l e f o r most
students t o be s u c c e s s f u l , w i t h b e n e f i c i a l consequences f o r t h e i r f u t u r e a t t i t u d e t o mathematics. I n t h i s
c o n t e x t , d i a g n o s t i c t e s t i n g f o r i n d i v i d u a l weaknesses i n t h e f o u r o p e r a t i o n s i s seen as coming l a t e r and much more i n c i d e n t a l l y . I n f o r m a t i o n thus gained i s most
v a l u a b l e a f t e r i n t e r e s t and excitement has been aroused.
The achievement o f mastery i n t h e basic o p e r a t i o n s i s seen as coming more q u i c k l y a f t e r students r e a l i z e t h a t i t i s necessary i n order t o g a i n maximum enjoyment and success.
The Committee considers t h a t , c o n s i s t e n t w i t h i t s o v e r a l l approach t o the grouping o f s t u d e n t s , a l l Year 7 Mathematics groups should be heterogeneous. (46) This reduces t h e problems o f f a i l u r e r e f e r r e d t o above.
I t gives every student the o p p o r t u n i t y t o make a new s t a r t and t o b e n e f i t from the s t i m u l u s o f working alongside the m a t h e m a t i c a l l y a b l e .
The task f o r t h e teacher o f Mathematics i s w e l l described i n the f o l l o w i n g q u o t a t i o n :
An important aspect o f primary mathematics must be enjoyment. This must come through many f a c e t s besides r e c r e a t i o n a l s i t u a t i o n s , success,
challenge, relevance. This i s no small o r d e r , but important i n a community which places such high importance on the s u b j e c t but has such poor memories o f i t from t h e i r own school days.
Mathematics i s c o n t r i b u t i n g h i g h l y t o the
a l i e n a t i o n of t h e community from education. This process must be a r r e s t e d .. .
But how? Teachers must be o p e r a t i n g w i t h i n subject content on which they have competence and c o n f i d - ence and hence a p o s i t i v e a t t i t u d e . P u p i l s must
be l e a r n i n g basic s k i l l s w i t h which parents can a s s i s t and they must be u n d e r t a k i n g mathem- a t i c a l a c t i v i t i e s , f r e e from s p e c i a l j a r g o n and background, on which they can communicate w i t h t h e i r parents. (47)
The Committee accepts t h a t these sentiments are e q u a l l y v a l i d f o r secondary mathematics.
J u s t as i t i s important f o r a l l secondary teachers to have a knowledge and understanding o f the l e a r n i n g steps associated w i t h l e a r n i n g t o read, so i t i s
necessary f o r teachers of Mathematics t o be w e l l versed i n the steps necessary f o r the successful l e a r n i n g of the f o u r basic o p e r a t i o n s . The Committee accepts t h a t these must be given g r e a t e r emphasis i n b o t h pre-
s e r v i c e and i n - s e r v i c e education programs.
The Committee also considers t h a t a l l t e a c h e r s , i n c l u d i n g those of Mathematics, need t o be aware of the reading l e v e l s of t h e i r s t u d e n t s , since these a f f e c t the e x t e n t t o which they are able to use t e x t s . I n t h i s respect the Committee attaches g r e a t importance to the f o l l o w i n g evidence from the Supervisor of E n g l i s h i n the Education Department:
I t i s obvious t h a t primary school c h i l d r e n passing i n t o secondary schools at eleven t o twelve years of age are f a r from mature readers ... The problem has been accentuated by the p r e s c r i p t i o n of t e x t s whose r e a d a b i l i t y l e v e l i s c o n s i d e r a b l y i n advance of the c a p a c i t y of many students. Simple t e s t s of r e a d a b i l i t y l e v e l s t h a t have been conducted over the l a s t two years have shown t h a t t h i s i s so. These t e s t s , t o o , have taken i n t o account o n l y word and sentence l e n g t h and have not consid- ered s o p h i s t i c a t i o n of concepts, degree of a b s t r a c t - i o n or u n f a m i l i a r i t y of s t y l e . (48)
The Committee accepts the view t h a t " a l l teachers need to be aware of the importance of language s t y l e and usage i n the textbooks and w r i t t e n m a t e r i a l s a v a i l - able across the c u r r i c u l u m and i n the language used i n the l e a r n i n g i n t e r a c t i o n . . . . " (49)
As has been o u t l i n e d i n the i n t r o d u c t i o n to t h i s r e p o r t , the Committee has gathered a comprehensive
body of m a t e r i a l about secondary education i n Tasmania.
However, l i t t l e evidence was presented to the Committee about mathematics o r , s p e c i f i c a l l y , numeracy. Several comments were made about a " d e c l i n e i n standards" but
evidence t o s u b s t a n t i a t e the a l l e g a t i o n s was absent.
I n t h i s c o n t e x t the Committee has been c a u t i o u s i n l a y i n g down g u i d e l i n e s f o r schools i n these areas.
Reference has been made i n the previous paragraphs t o the a t t i t u d e s which secondary teachers of Mathematics should have, to the key importance of Year 7 p r o v i s i o n s f o r Mathematics and t o the long-term importance of teacher education f o r Mathematics. The Committee also wishes t o draw a t t e n t i o n t o i t s support f o r a program of m o n i t o r i n g standards of achievement i n the area of numeracy. (50) F i n a l l y , i t has been suggested to
the Committee t h a t " c a l c u l a t i o n " should be i d e n t i f i e d as a separate f i e l d f o r c e r t i f i c a t i o n at Year 10 l e v e l . The Committee does not wish to endorse such a suggestion a t the present stage but suggests t h a t schools should discuss the p r o p o s a l .
Environmental education and other s p e c i a l i n t e r e s t s Evidence presented to the Committee by a number of i n t e r e s t e d groups has suggested t h a t a d d i t i o n a l s u b j e c t s should be i n t r o d u c e d i n t o the school c u r r i c - ulum t o c a t e r f o r t h e i r s p e c i f i c needs. (51)
I t i s the view of the Committee t h a t s u b j e c t s such as environmental education c o u l d , and should, be developed w i t h i n the framework of the general
program r a t h e r than picked out as separate c u r r i c u l u m areas. Students should be encouraged t o view the
environment from an o b j e c t i v e p o i n t of view; then, on the basis of observed f a c t and accumulated d a t a , proceed to other l e v e l s of a n a l y s i s , make value judgements and consider s o c i a l e f f e c t s .
Whereas i n i t i a l c o n s i d e r a t i o n of the environment w i l l probably occur i n the science program, i t i s
envisaged t h a t any d e t a i l e d study p r o p e r l y could a r i s e not o n l y i n the n a t u r a l and p h y s i c a l sciences but i n technology and the s o c i a l sciences as w e l l .
Rural Science (or t h a t science which has a b i a s towards s t u d i e s r e l a t e d t o the land and i t s p r o d u c t s ) ,
! f regarded i n t h i s way, could be a v e h i c l e i n the science area of the Committee's c l a s s i f i c a t i o n of knowledge. "Concentrating on the student's immediate environment" makes t h i s kind of science p a r t i c u l a r l y r e l e v a n t i n most p a r t s of Tasmania.
Education through the A r t s
The Coinmittee has had access t o some o f t h e m a t e r i a l developed by a group p r e p a r i n g a r e p o r t on
"The A r t s i n Education". (52) The f u l l r e p o r t w i l l be a v a i l a b l e by the time t h i s Report i s p u b l i s h e d , and so
i t i s not necessary here t o do more than t o survey t h e recommendations about t h e secondary school t h a t the Committee on Secondary Education considered.
The A r t s i n Education group b e l i e v e s t h a t a l l students should experience a range of the A r t s i n a c o - o r d i n a t e d a r t s c u r r i c u l u m which emphasizes the r e l a t e d a r t s and extends over the f i r s t f o u r years o f
secondary education. Such a program would be b u i l t about the areas o f v i s u a l a r t s , speech/drama, c r a f t and
music/dance.
I t would p r o v i d e f o r every secondary student t o engage i n a study i n depth of a t l e a s t one a r t form over an extended p e r i o d . I n a d d i t i o n t h e r e would be an o p p o r t u n i t y t o do s h o r t - t e r m e l e c t i v e s t u d i e s cover-
ing experience w i t h m a t e r i a l s , such as wood, t h r e a d s , enamel, dye, sounds, e t c . ; p r o j e c t s which might i n c l u d e h i s t o r i c a l research; shared a c t i v i t i e s i n c r a f t , music, drama, v i s u a l a r t s and dance d i s c i p l i n e s .
The program would be backed by o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r attendance a t p r o f e s s i o n a l performances and e x h i b i t i o n s on a c o n t i n u i n g b a s i s .
The t i m e t a b l e would be f l e x i b l e enough t o i n c o r p - o r a t e the c o n c e n t r a t i o n of time t h a t w i l l be necessary f o r these a c t i v i t i e s , both i n school and i n t h e
o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r the o u t - o f - s c h o o l attendances, and f o r the kinds of s h a r i n g w i t h the community, i n c l u d i n g p a r e n t s , primary feeder-schools and the community
g e n e r a l l y t h a t i s e s s e n t i a l f o r understanding o f t h e program and f u l l development o f i t .
While g e n e r a l l y endorsing the proposals made by the A r t s i n Education group the Committee would wish to see a wider d e f i n i t i o n o f the c r a f t s , t o i n c o r p o r a t e the development o f the h a n d - s k i l l s t h a t are a t present included i n the secondary school program. I n saying t h i s the Committee wishes t o emphasize t h a t i t does not support the maintenance of the s t a t u s quo w i t h
respect t o the a r t s i n education. I t b e l i e v e s t h a t n o t enough has been made o f the p o t e n t i a l o f the p e r f o r m i n g and c r e a t i v e a r t s i n a program o f general education f o r a l l students. With t h e q u a l i f i c a t i o n s expressed above the Committee endorses and i t s e l f puts f o r w a r d t h e
recommendations of the A r t s i n Education working group.